You are not GOD.

Something I have noticed is there are a growing amount of people who want to control how other people think, feel, act, or do. And if you do not do, act, think, or feel the way people want you to think, act, do, or feel, they act as if you somehow are inhuman.

We are all individuals with our own thoughts, feelings, opinions, beliefs, reasons, understanding, etc... We all have free will and freedom of choice and for better or worse, you're not GOD, and neither am I.

One challenge with renting is knowing when to notify property management. You don’t want to be the tenant who constantly complains — if something isn’t urgent and can be handled reasonably or ignored, it’s often best to let it go.

That’s why I’ve been feeling uneasy lately. Over the past week or so, I’ve had to bring up two separate issues — both valid — but I still worry about seeming like a problem tenant.

The first involved a neighbor, which is already a sensitive subject because no one wants to be the person who complains about their neighbors. We don’t know her personally and have no direct conflict, but her behavior has raised safety concerns. She frequently screams and fights with people — not just at her place, but sometimes on our sidewalk, in our driveway, and in our yard. She has even driven her car onto the sidewalk, driveway, and yard during a few of these incidents. Imagine a complete stranger — someone you don’t know — bringing their chaos into your space, at random hours throughout the day or night. Ignoring that didn’t feel safe.

Then, shortly after, I had to report that our refrigerator was failing. A worker initially downplayed it, but I followed up the next day, and by that evening, the freezer temperature had reached 52°F (11.1°C). Clearly, it wasn’t just a minor issue.

Now I’ve noticed something small — nothing urgent, but something that could become a problem. While cleaning the bathroom, I noticed a thin line of yellow, orange, or brown residue around the base of the toilet. It’s only happened twice — two months apart — but I suspect the wax ring might be starting to fail. For now, I’m planning to monitor it.

Still, I’d rather not keep stirring the pot unless absolutely necessary.

#Rent #Renting #Housing #Home

I no longer have cable internet, and I haven't dealt with the cable company in years. But when I did, I often used them as a metaphor for life, since so many people have experienced just how frustrating your local cable provider can be — it was relatable.

Your role with the cable company is simple: order the services you want (like TV) or need (internet, phone), pay your bill on time, don't abuse the service, and report any issues that arise. Generally speaking, it's a very black-and-white kind of relationship.

And yet, you can't make the cable company treat you better, take you seriously, or even address your concerns. At the end of the day, you're just customer #12345, paying them $123.45. No matter how good of a customer you are — or how vocal — you can't force the cable company to be a better company. Your only real choices are to either put up with the nonsense or go without and face the unfair consequences of doing so. Worse still, through no fault of your own, you may even face unfair consequences just for using their products and services.

The metaphor is this: life is unfair. You can do everything you're supposed to do — everything asked of you, everything "right" — and still get screwed. You can also do absolutely nothing... and still get screwed. Yes, there are unjust double standards that should be fixed, but the power to fix them often lies far outside your individual control.

A copy of the email I just sent to our property management (1 of 2):

To Whom It May Concern at "Management",

To the best of our knowledge, our refrigerator is currently failing.

We previously contacted the "Management" on Monday, July 14, 2025, regarding our refrigerator of eight years, which we have used without issue since moving in back in 2017. At that time, we reported that it was making unusually loud noises — a mix of a high-pitched electronic hum and a banging or knocking sound. Additionally, we noted that ice was building up inside the refrigerator, particularly on the freezer floor, ceiling, and door.

On the same day (Monday, July 14), an unknown staff member came to inspect the appliance. At the time, our freezer was nearly empty, containing only a few small bags of frozen vegetables and one box of hamburgers. While our 14 cu. ft. refrigerator is smaller than ideal, we have successfully used and maintained it for the past eight years without issue. We were therefore disappointed when the staff member took one look at the contents, moved them forward, and claimed everything was fine — suggesting that the issue may have been due to how we were loading the refrigerator.

1 of 2

It is hard for me to accept that people may sometimes want to help selflessly.

I’ve grown so accustomed to false platitudes, transactional individuals, and hidden agendas that it almost makes me feel uneasy when someone offers to do something good — simply because they can.

For example, I have an aunt on my biological father’s side who would always offer to give me rides. She would insist on it, and I would nearly always decline, saying I could find my own way — but I appreciated the offer. Then there was one time I actually needed a ride. I had spent several hours helping her in the yard, from early afternoon until sometime after dark. I was tired, cold, and truly in need of a ride. She had told me earlier that day to let her know if I needed one. But when I did, she reacted as if I had asked for something outrageous. She got upset. Later, she even argued that I was inconveniencing her because she wanted to help out at her church—something I hadn’t known she had planned.

But I digress. I’ve become used to people giving false kindness, operating transactionally, or having an ulterior motive. Unfortunately, that often means people will offer help when I need nothing, but are conveniently unavailable when I actually do. This is why I’ve learned to be as independent and self-sufficient as possible — when I can manage it.

But as I said, it's why I can sometimes feel uneasy when someone genuinely wants to do good without expecting anything in return. It's a trait I possess myself, but one I seldom see in others — and even when I think I do, I'm always left a little unsure.

I want to step in and point out that there’s a lot of misinformation circulating.

Some people have been incorrectly claiming that if one country passes a certain law, then everyone — everywhere — must comply with it.

That’s not how jurisdiction works.

You’re responsible for following the laws of your own country. Your government can’t impose its laws on the entire world, and neither can any other government.

For example, if Russia suddenly requires that anyone signing up for a website must pay $5 and submit a DNA sample — but your site, and you are based in France — you’re under no obligation to comply. Russia can make whatever demands it wants, but you’re not Russian, and it’s not your responsibility to enforce their laws.

#Fediverse #ActivityPub #Mastodon #Misskey

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#Fediverse #ActivityPub #Mastodon #Misskey

Expect the unexpected.

No one would have predicted that the United States could slide into fascism, and far too many believed our checks and balances would prevent such a tragedy. It was inconceivable that the House of Congress, the Senate, and the Supreme Court could become complicit and nullify those checks and balances.

If Donald Trump and his allies have proven anything, it’s that what may seem like crazy talk today can become tomorrow’s reality.